Sydney:
With the support of the High Commission of India (Canberra), Indian Consulates in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and key partnerships with the prestigious Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), the National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFAFA) brings the best of the best to Australian audiences. The first-of-its-kind event has been expanded and will run from Thursday, February 13, 2025 to Sunday, March 2, 2025 across multiple Australian cities.
The NIFFA Nomination Council has attracted Australian Indian film professionals, including Zee Studios Head of Operations Achala Datar, award-winning producer Deepti Sachdeva, film and art writer Neeru Saluja and actress and emerging director Amrita Apte.
NIFFA has received unprecedented support from the Australian and Indian film industries, the Indian Consulate in Australia and the Indian High Commission.
Indian High Commissioner to Australia, His Excellency Mr. Gopal Baglay said, “The power of cinema transcends borders, cultures and languages. Bringing the celebration of Indian cinema to Australia also highlights its global appeal and the deep cultural connection between the two countries. ” The million-strong Indian diaspora, and beyond.”
India’s National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) is supplying a curated section of films between Australia and India for the first time.
“I am keen to ensure that this overdue festival is a quintessentially Australian festival with the participation of the growing number of Australian film professionals from the Indian diaspora. That is why it is so exciting to have some of the hardest-working film professionals in our nominations. Festival Director Anupam Sharma said, “We are also encouraged by the tremendous morale-boosting response from influential organizations and supporters who have embraced the festival.”
“Anupam and I wanted to celebrate Indian cinema as a whole, not just Bollywood or its stars, and we wanted to do it on the big screen in a big way. Now, with NDTV and NFDC support from India and Dandy and SBS Audio Festival co-director Peter Castaldi said: “Australia, this is truly proving to be a fantastic collaboration and we are very grateful for the immense support we have received.
Consul General of India in Sydney, Dr. S. Janakiraman said, “For the first time, the National Indian Film Festival is being organized in Sydney, Australia. Consulate General of India, Sydney will partner in the event. Indian cinema with our heritage and legacy In the case of , we have a strong base to showcase India through the lens of Indian cinema in Australia.”
He said, “The festival encourages talent, storytelling and investment through an India-Australia co-production agreement. With an impressive range of films, masterclasses, industry panels and cultural celebrations, it promises to be a national debut ” A festival of Indian films in Australia that we look forward to celebrating every year with cinephiles, filmmakers and industry leaders.”
Ms Neetu Bhagotia, Consul General of India in Brisbane said, “Cinema transcends borders, weaving stories that resonate universally. The Indian National Film Festival of Australia aims to celebrate this power, showcasing the diverse “Bringing cultures together through shared emotions.” And Katha is a platform to showcase films’ ability to connect hearts across all continents.”
Niyati Mehta from the prestigious Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Australia said, “Consulate General of India, Sydney and Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center are delighted to partner with the National Indian Film Festival of Australia. Indian cinema has a universal language and its creativity, “Continues to engage and captivate audiences in India and across the world through innovations and immense cultural and linguistic diversity.”
Dandy Cinemas CEO Sharon Strickland said, “Dendy Cinemas is proud to be part of Australia’s inaugural National Indian Film Festival, a landmark celebration of cinema that bridges cultures and showcases the extraordinary diversity and talent of Indian filmmaking. The festival epitomizes the ability of storytelling to connect with audiences across borders, and we look forward to bringing these vibrant, compelling films to our screens with the incredible support of the Indian and Australian film industries, government and media organisations. thrilled for NIFA is set to be a cornerstone event that will inspire and entertain for years to come.”
David Hua, Audio Language Content Director, SBS Audio, said, “SBS has a proud heritage of partnering with linguistic film festivals across Australia. We are delighted that in the year SBS celebrates its 50th anniversary, SBS South Asian ” “By partnering with Australia’s first National Indian Film Festival, we hope our teams will add spice to the making of films and support this rich cultural exchange of storytelling.”
National Indian Film Festival of Australia:
When: Thursday, February 13, 2025 – Sunday, March 2, 2025
Where: Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra
More information: niffa.com.au
